Obesity Rates in Latin Women Examined in Recent Study

A study has identified a possible explanation for greater obesity rates for low-income Latin American women. Conducted at the University of Colorado, researchers investigated the causes of obesity for Latin American women with low socioeconomic class. Their findings indicate these women have limited access to dietary protein that leads them to consume a lower proportion of protein, implying a higher intake of calories. The study used a protein leverage hypothesis to test samples from 135 Costa Rican women from three socioeconomic categories. The hypothesis suggests when a person does not meet their body's protein needs, they keep eating that results in excess caloric intake.